R.I. bill to increase fines on polluters gains support
11:57 AM Tue, May 26, 2009 | Permalink
Email
 |
 |
Projo 7 to 7 News BlogTaking the news pulse of Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts, by Providence Journal and projo.com staff, from 7 to 7, every business day |
|
Get the 7 to 7 on your mobile at www.projo.com. Twitter: projo | RSS | Email alerts
« Whitehouse: Sotomayor 'superb' choice for justice |
Main
| Study: Maternal control not linked to kids' weight gain »
By Gina Macris and Mike Stanton House Majority Leader Gordon Fox visited a polluted Tiverton neighborhood Tuesday morning to tell its long-suffering residents that legislative leaders are now behind an oft-delayed bill to raise fines on environmental polluters in Rhode Island. Fox also apologized to residents for the bill's failure to pass at the end of last year's General Assembly session, when powerful lobbyist Robert D. Goldberg had opposed it despite widespread support from lawmakers. 
Providence Journal photo / Frieda Squires House Majority Leader Gordon Fox visits Gail Corvello who runs a day-care center from her Tiverton home. Corvello has been trying for seven years to get the contaminated soil from Bay Street to Church Street cleaned up. But with the fate of the bill this year shrouded in uncertainty, 18 environmentalists and other advocates protested outside Goldberg's Pawtucket law office, calling him an obstacle to an important anti-polluter bill and urging him to give back the "dirty money'' of Southern Union Company, the Texas-based corporation that state regulators hold responsible for the pollution in Tiverton. The protesters stood peacefully outside Goldberg's law office, around a wheelbarrow filled with Monopoly money and blue-tinted dirt representing the cyanide contamination that has plagued the North Tiverton neighborhood. Later, they delivered a bag of the dirt and money mixture to Goldberg's secretary, along with a letter asking him to return Southern Union's money and support passage of the bill as "the right thing to do for Rhode Island.'' Goldberg was not there. Southern Union paid Goldberg, who is close to House Speaker William Murphy, $45,000 to lobby against the bill last year and is paying him $5,000 a month this year. The legislation seemed in limbo until Friday, when Fox's office finally posted it for a committee hearing this Thursday. Rep. Jan Malik, D-Warren, chairman of the House Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources, has been outspoken in his support of the bill this year, "no matter what happens to me.'' Last week, he told a Journal reporter that he was reluctant to post any bills in his committee for a vote until House leaders gave clearance to the bill raising fines on polluters. 
CommentsLeave a commentPlease be civil. Vicious comments, personal attacks and profanity won't be published. Name and email are required; email address will not publish. |
Tags 
New comments
New photos
New posts
Projo blogs
Archives
This is comical and shows the extent to which "activists" and "advocates" will not criticize Democrats no matter how dirty they are. The lobbyist is only effective if the legislators go along with them for WHATEVER reason. (What is the reason in this case? Hmmm).
Lobbyists do not pass or kill legislation - legislators do.
So why aren't the protesters outside of Murphy's office? Maybe they can find some way to blame Carcieri for the bill dying last year.
Report Abuse
Nice try Steve R but only in the Governor's office or in talkradioland do people believe that fairytale you are pushing
Report Abuse
The article states:
"Fox also apologized to residents for the bill's failure to pass at the end of last year's General Assembly session, when powerful lobbyist Robert D. Goldberg had opposed it despite widespread support from lawmakers."
What?! A lobbyist doesn't vote. Widespread support - I think not. If the lawmakers supported it, they should vote for it.
Fox needs to give a better explanation. Name names!
Report Abuse
RIFUTURE: What do you mean?
Why aren't they protesting at Murphy's office? He is the one that blocked the legislation and he is close to the lobbyist. What is your theory that to you seems so obvious that you don't even need to state it? Instead you just make vague references to talk radio - the new liberal tactic of attempting to dis-credit a position in place of using a logical argument to do it.
Or are you instead suggesting that Carcieri actually is to blame for killing the legislation?
I fail to see any coherent thoughts in your post - which probably makes your on-line name appropriate.
Report Abuse
to little to late! there is to much pollution going on in the name of economic success. Even companies that are suppose to be helping the environment have ended up destroying it (the recycling company near Bryant University that dump thousands of gallons of antifreeze and other toxic chemicals into the groundwater and swamp. Then cut a deal that avoided criminal conviction for civil fines which allowed them to file for bankruptcy's and walk away with the mess still there.)
Tighter stronger laws are needed but when we have part time law makers and municipal judges that represent the law breakers there can be no justice for the average man. As always what is said and what is done is totally different.
Report Abuse
ANY legislation that increases fines on polluters is generally a good thing. The business community has had 70 years of free reign, being able to pollute had harm human health and then running away and letting 'the people' clean it all up after they leave #viz. Superfund#. If you make and use and release harmful compounds into the local environment #and on to local people# you should pay up. Of course the best way to do things is to not ever let businesses produce/use harmful compounds until they have the technologies to guarantee no spills and realeases in the first place. Business feels 'targeted' but in reality 'business' has had a free ride for 70 years in America....pay up polluters!
Report Abuse
Only in RI, first rather than find people and companies guilt we will fine them. Yes I fell sorry for the home owner, but where is the due process? Why would businesses choose to move to RI and create jobs when we has such a hostile business climate?
Report Abuse
Why is no one talking about the corrupt politicians that allow this to happen? And why aren't these people banging down the doors of the GA for killing the original bill but instead blaming a lobbyist? It's your General Assembly that is allowing this to happen! Wake up people and vote these criminals out of office!
Report Abuse